Namuko Academy the Second
by gracegrrl007
Summary: At last, Namuko Academy has entered a period of peace. But there's something fishy going on over at Turiavita's tower, and Iori and Chihaya are determined to get to the bottom of it. Still, can Dark Makoto, their new ally and resource, really be trusted? Or is she hiding a dark secret that could threaten to destroy the academy? Peace has just expired. Be ready for war.
1. Chapter the First

Chapter the First

The Ice Mage stepped daintily over a small clump of flowers growing by Namuko Academy. She had always enjoyed going for little walks like this, especially in early spring. All the new flowers made the grounds look absolutely gorgeous.

They would have been even more gorgeous with Haruka around, but because of Ritsuko's Rune Eyes, she too was able to grow lovely plants. She had done a great job of caring for the grounds thus far.

It was the start of a new year-a new season-a new beginning. Turiavita had been disbanded, the Mondenkind lesser witches now trained as Namuko Academy wizards, and the academy's greatest enemy, Ice Queen Dark Kikuchi Makoto, now dutifully served them as a loyal ally thanks to the efforts of the new Sun Mage, Takatsuki Yayoi.

Chihaya let out a loud, contented sigh. "It's been a while, Ohi-sama," she breathed. "We haven't been able to just sit together in a long time. You've been hidden behind some pretty dark clouds. I'm happy to see you."

She could almost hear the voice of the last Sun Mage, Hoshii Miki. singing her a cheerful song, blended with the voice of Mondenkind's own beloved Sun Warlock, Shingetsu Joseph. Both had been lost during the vicious Turiavita attack that had wiped out a third of the academy's inhabitants, most of them at the hands of the heartless Ice Witch, now named the Grand Witch of Turiavita (although she frequently insisted everyone refer to her as the Grand Sorceress or something that "doesn't make me sound like that b*tch of a Grand Witch that ruled before me. Things are gonna be different with me on the throne.")

Chihaya sighed and settled down on a grassy hill, watching the sun in the sky. She thought back the the first time she had come to the academy; she had been instantly welcomed and made as comfortable as possible. Everyone had been so kind to her, she had started to cry. Her brother had still been alive back then, and they played games and sang songs together constantly. Chihaya missed him like crazy.

"It's lonely to be a wizard," the bluenette mage murmured quietly.

"It can be, yes."

Chihaya jumped at the sound of the voice, but relaxed when she saw it was only Takane, the Shadow Mage. "Shijou-san, it's you. How are things? How is Hibiki?"

Takane took a seat in the grass beside Chihaya. "Hibiki is doing quite well. She has worked hard enough to reach the level a wizard her age should be at. We intend to keep working at it. 'Never' is not a part of Hibiki's vocabulary." The one-eyed mage looked over at Chihaya. "She wants to be a mage."

"She doesn't have to worry too much about it," Chihaya assured her friend. "I recently learned from Ryo that he has a friend who is also a wizard. She hasn't been trained and is known to be quite a mischievous magician, but with proper training she'll make an excellent mage one day."

Takane nodded slowly. "I only wish I could convince Hibiki that she is fine as she is," she sighed. "I want her to be happy more than anything."

"You're an exquisite teacher, Shijou-san," Chihaya promised. "You don't need to worry about a thing. Hibiki is lucky to be training under you."

"...this friend of Ryo's. She is a darkness wizard?"

"Yes, she is. She has a slightly demonic side to her and thus will have a good kick-start to her powers, but she doesn't have Rune Eyes and she isn't exactly a prodigy, so she may have some trouble. I trust you'll be patient with her."

"Of course. What is her name?"

Chihaya smiled slightly. "Sakurai Yumeko."

*.*.*.*

Yayoi kicked her feet while sitting on her bed, gazing at a photograph of her late teacher, Hoshii Miki. She was smiling, but from the tears tugging at her eyes, one could easily see she was upset.

Hidaka Ai was in her room with her, praticing what she'd just been taught. "Yayoi-san, are you alright?" she asked worriedly, glancing at her teacher.

Yayoi sniffled and wiped her eyes. "I'm fine," she promised. "I just miss Miki-san, that's all."

"I'm really sorry about all this," Ai said sincerely. She frowned slightly at her big ball of light when it refused to get any bigger. "Eri-chan and Ryo-chan told me about that attack. They were really scared. To think something like that happened right after they started practicing...! I'm really glad we're not in the war anymore."

"Me too," Yayoi agreed. "But it's really a good thing! If the war hadn't existed, I never would have met Dark Makoto-san, and then I wouldn't have made such an excellent friend!"

"I guess...plus, I wouldn't be here training under you!"

"Right! So even though it was a horrible time, we got some good things out of it too!"

"Uh-huh!" Ai laughed. "I'm glad I came here. I really love it. Hey, why isn't there an earth wizard from the academy?"

Yayoi blinked, slightly startled.

"'Cause, I met all the wizards the other day. There's me, the light wizard, Hibiki-chan the darkness wizard, Ryo-chan and Yukiho-chan, the air wizards, and then Eri-chan the water wizard, and Ami-chan and Mami-chan, the fire wizards. We're all native to the academy. But the only earth wizard is Dark Ritsuko-san, who's training under Ritsuko-san. And she's from Mondenkind. So where's the academy-native earth wizard?"

"Haruka-san was killed by Dark Chihaya-san sometime shortly after I joined the academy," Yayoi said quietly.

Ai was silent for a few minutes, her ball of light flickering in her moment of grief. "...I'm sorry," she muttered. "I didn't know."

"It's alright," Yayoi assured her. "We're managing without her. It was particularly hard on Chihaya-san, but she's been recovering."

"If it helps...no one else will ever die because of these people. Because of _anything_." Ai grinned. "Because I'm gonna protect them."

Yayoi grinned back and held out a hand. "Ai-chan, high touch!"

Ai obliged, laughing in glee. "This is our academy, Yayoi-san! So let's never let it fall!"

"Right!"

"Namuko Academy...FIGHT-O!"

**(A/N: SEQUEL TIMMME~. Gosh I'm excited.**

**I want to make a super-quick point. Because of Yumeko's inroduction, which was very much like Yayoi's introduction in the first book what with the "She will be a wizard...this is her name...I talk like I belong in anime..." and stuff, you may think she's getting a major role.**

**She isn't.**

**Yumeko exists because Takane needs a wizard to replace her if she retires/dies. I will be checking in on her often, and here's a hint-she'll play a bigger role as the story progresses (so far, that's what I'm thinking)-but as of right now, her role is as big as Hibiki's or Yukiho's or Ritsuko's.  
That is all.)**


	2. Chapter the Second

Chapter the Second

"It's boring out here without any fighting," Karasu muttered to himself, typing away busily at one of the monitors of the Turiavita contorl room. Dark Makoto was seated at her usual station, watching the inhabitants of Namuko Academy and sometimes offering a quick "hello" to one of the wizards or mages.

"I don't know what you thought saying that would accomplish, but we're not attacking them anymore." The white-cloaked Grand Witch looked over at her only remaining co-worker. "Turiavita has been disbanded."

"You say that, yet here we are, sitting at our old stations in this control room. A bit nostalgic, isn't it?"

"I don't miss a thing about this place," Makoto insisted. "It's just too old to fall into ruin. We've kept it this long and I'm used to it, so we'll stay behind to keep up the condition of the place."

"Being allies of the academy is boring, though," Karasu complained. "Don't you miss it? All the fighting, your abilities clashing with those of the others, that feeling of satisfaction you get when you've won..."

Makoto seemed to relax a bit. "...I told you already," she began, "I don't miss any of that."

"I don't believe you," Karasu admitted. He turned around in the chair to see Makoto had already done so and was watching him curiously. "I miss the old Ice Witch; the one that used to kill people for no reason at all. You were more fun when you were taking orders."

"I _have_ more fun giving orders," Makoto protested. "What do you think complaining about it will do?"

Karasu let out a sigh and rose to his feet, crossing the walkway to sit next to Makoto. Makoto eyed him skeptically, then rolled her eyes and turned back to the academy monitor. Karasu laid a hand on hers. She looked up, slightly startled, and turned back to him for a moment.

"What are you-"

"I'm lonely, is all." The Shadow Warlock glanced over at the far wall, frowning slightly, eyes full of pain. Makoto felt a pang of sympathy.

"She would have killed us all," she muttered. "Even you. Once all of this was over, she would have disposed of you just like she tried to dispose of me. We were just pawns to her."

"She said that, of course. What would you have thought if she showed she had a weakness for me?"

"She didn't."

"You didn't know her like I did." Karasu removed his hand fom hers and swiveled in the chair to stare at the wall. Makoto started to reach after him, then stopped.

"I didn't have to," she insisted. "Kisaragi was the very definition of an insane, tyrannical leader. I didn't want to take orders from someone like that. Besides..." The Grand Witch gritted her teeth, annoyed. "...what do you know about loneliness?! You helped that witch murder the only person I'd ever loved!"

"At least you have the academy."

Makoto opened her mouth to protest, then closed it again. Karasu was right, after all-the same thing he had aided the Flame Witch Dark Chihaya in doing to Makoto's precious Onee-chan, Dark Azusa the Stone Witch, Makoto had done to his only love, Chihaya herself. She sighed.

"...if I say, 'I'm sorry,' will you stop wallowing and help me keep an eye on the place?"

Karasu didn't answer.

Makoto waited for a few minutes before turning back towards the academy. The Ice Mage, Chihaya, was in view of the camera, so Makoto tapped on the intercom to greet her. They conversed for a moment, about the towers they lived in and how things were going back at the Tuiavita base, and how the Mondenkind lesser witches and greater witches were enjoying their time training as full-time wizards. When they had finished checking in, Makoto turned her attention back to Karasu.

"Alright, what do you want?"

"I want Chihaya back." Karasu looked back at Makoto, eyes void of their previous fire. Makoto met his gaze.

"I wouldn't do that for you even if it was possible."

"Chihaya may have been cruel, but at least she cared about her co-workers."

"She tried to _kill_ me!" Makoto jumped to her feet angrily. "She ignored Riffa and wanted me dead! The only people she ever cared about were you and Hagiwara!"

"That's more than can be said for you."

Makoto growled and pounded her fist on the arm of Karasu's chair, leaning down until she was at eye level with him. "How dare you..."

"Name one person you ever loved as much as she loved the two of us."

"I'll give you five," Makoto snapped. "Onee-chan. Yayoi. Our Amami. Hagiwara. The captain."

"Please, you expect me to believe you actually care about them?" Karasu rose to his feet. "The heartless witch herself, actually loving someone. It's unheard of."

"Shut up!" Makoto lashed, straightening up. "Onee-chan was the most precious person in the WORLD to me! Not to mention Yayoi is the first real friend I've ever had, Amami was always willing to be around me even if I was cruel to her, Hagiwara actually engaged with me in a way that made me feel like maybe I wasn't just some cold-hearted witch, and Joseph-san always took care of me while I was in Mondenkind! I owe them so much, and now four out of the five of them are dead thanks to the two of you!"

"I think we did you a favor," Karasu said evenly. "You're supposed to be a cold-hearted witch, nothing more."

"Then why does it bother you so much that I was cruel enough to murder Kisaragi?"

"Please, I like _Minase_ more than the two of you."

"Then why am I here?"

Makoto froze. "Because I needed the help."

"Oh?" Karasu's taunting smirk at last returned. "Why didn't you just get the Mondenkind workers to help you? Turiavita is disbanded, so theoretically you should all be able to intermingle now."

Makoto didn't answer.

"Face it. You like me," Karasu half-purred, leaning towards her slightly. Makoto's cheeks reddened slightly, but her eyes still looked angry.

"And why would I?" she challenged.

"I took care of you the second you stepped foot in here," the Shadow Warlock reminded her. "That's more than can be said for Chihaya."

"That doesn't mean anything. You caused me twice as much pain as you spared me."

"You say that, but..." Karasu trailed off, resting his hand on Makoto's cheek. Makoto raised her chin, as if to say, "Your twisted mind games won't work on me." Karasu's smirk became less of a smirk and more of a gentle smile. "You want to know what would make up for killing Chihaya?"

"If it'll get you to stop moping and start helping me keep everything in order. Minase tried to assasinate me the other day and you didn't even try to help. Not that I needed the help, per se."

"Alright." Slowly, the black-haired warlock leaned in until his lips were nearly touching Makoto's ear.

"Let's destroy that academy."


	3. Chapter the Third

Chapter the Third

Yayoi knocked lightly on the door to the Grand Mage's room. She wanted to be able to say "hello" to her favorite Flame Mage, after all. Iori would be in there right now, probably doing something important since the doors were closed.

As Yayoi was thinking this, the door swung open, revealing a girl Yayoi didn't know. She was moderately tall, seemingly a bit older than Yayoi, with long brown hair pulled into a side half-ponytail. Her green eyes were narrowed, one arm placed on her hip and the other grasping the door handle. Yayoi stared at her for a minute.

_She's very pretty._

"Can I get past?"

"Huh?" Yayoi blinked. The girl in front of her frowned slightly.

"You're in the way," she announced. "I can't get past."

"Ah, um...s-sorry!" Yayoi offered the girl a quick bow before stepping out of the way. The girl shuffled past her, Iori rising from her bed to approach Yayoi.

"Oi, Yumeko! This girl here is the Sun Mage, your senior, so you should be nice to her!" Iori called after the other girl.

"Sun Mage?" The girl turned around and examined Yayoi. "This little squirt?"

"Uh-huh," Yayoi and Iori answered at the same time.

The girl blinked. "...sorry."

"I don't mind," Yayoi promised. "You were right, I was in the way. I'm Takatsuki Yayoi. What's your name?"

"Sakurai Yumeko," the brunette answered. "I'm here to train as a darkness wizard! Cool, huh?"

"Oh, definitely! Hibiki-san is so much fun-she's the wizard you'll be training with-and Takane-san is amazing! She's mysterious, but I love her, and I'm sure you will too."

"Great, I can't wait to get started! Hey Grand Mage, can I fly through walls or anything like that?"

"I don't know, do I LOOK like a Shadow Mage?" Iori lashed. "My job is to give you the charge that welcomes you to the academy, not teach you."

"Alright, alright! Geez, no need to get crabby..."

"You started it!"

"You're kinda immature for a Grand Mage, huh?"

"I'm only fourteen! I'm younger than you, and I'm the Grand Mage! Watch who you give lip to, OK?! I'd like to see anyone else do my job!"

"Yumeko-san," Yayoi cut in, hoping to stop a fight before it happened, "if you want, I'll take you to Takane-san so you can begin training."

"Really?" Yumeko broke away from her disagreement to look at Yayoi. "That'd be great. At least _some _people here have manners." She stuck her tongue out at Iori, who returned the gesture with slightly more fervor.

Yayoi giggled. "Iori-chan's actually really nice. She's just a little cranky sometimes."

"I-I'm not cranky! I just get a little cross when jerks like this show up!"

"Y-you're the jerk!"

Yayoi giggled again. "Right this way, Yumeko-san," she invited, starting down the hallways towards Takane's room. "This is where you'll be training."

Yumeko turned away from Iori and smiled at her, foloowing the young ginger through the halls. "Thanks, Sun Mage."

*.*.*.*

Dark Makoto lifted her finger from the intercom button. She had just finished quite a spirited debate with the new Grand Mage over their personal accomplishments and who was really the better magician. The Ice Witch had never been a fan of Dark Iori, and after a few conversations with the forehead girl's light copy, she learned she didn't much like that one either. Karasu chuckled by her side.

"Fire and water, you two..."

"Literally."

The Shadow Warlock stretched and yawned, then returned to his typing at the computer. "When do you think the best time to attack would be?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"When I suggested to you that we destroy the academy, you smiled evilly and agreed with me."  
"What the heck kind of parallel universe are you living in...? I _slapped _you and then froze your neck to the wall before warning you not to cross the academy or I would kill you."

"Well, on the inside you were agreeing with me."

"Whatever makes you happy."

Karasu sighed and lay his hand on hers. She didn't yank it away. "You know, I'm your last co-worker left. You should be a little nicer."

"Maybe as far as Turiavita is concerned, that's true." Makoto yawned. "But in case you didn't get it the first twelve-thousand times, Turiavita is disbanded and I work as part of the academy now, which means I have dozens of co-workers."

"Dozens, oh wow. That's a lot."

"More than can be said for you. You don't consider yourself part of the academy. In fact, they think you're dead."

"Exactly," Karasu complained. "It's the perfect chance to take it over completely! Without Chihaya telling us what to do, we can do anything we want."

"You're never going to give up on this, are you?" Makoto groaned. "Fine! You want to get killed, go ambush the academy. But if they ask for my help, I'll kill you in an instant."

"You won't," Karasu taunted, moving closer to her. "You _like _me too much."

"Seriously, what kind of parallel universe do you live in?" Makoto muttered, turning away slightly to hide her blush.

"I see that, Makoto-chan~"

"You're annoying."

"And you're a cruel, arrogant, selfish witch."

"Gee, thanks. I go through all the trouble of reforming and setting you free, and you still feel the need to act like this?"

"I'm literally made of darkness, why do you expect so much from me?"

Makoto huffed loudly. "I'm done having this conversation with you," she announced, sounding annoyed. Karasu moved closer to her.

"Come on, 'sweetheart'. Don't play cool with me. I know you'd miss me if I were gone. That's why you let me out." He reached over and slid his hand onto Makoto's cheek, forcibly turning her head to face him. "I'm not giving up on you, you know. You'll come around. I know it."

"Please, don't make me laugh," Makoto scoffed.

Karasu chuckled and began gently carressing her cheek. Makoto felt herself blush. "Come on, Ice Queen," he murmured. "For me?"

"...Karasu..."

"Yes?"

"...you're an idiot if you think seduction will work on me." A glob of ice suddenly sprang out of Makoto's hand and slammed into Karasu's chest, pinning him against the far wall. Karasu made a noise that was part yelp and part cry of annoyance. The Grand Witch rose to her feet, stalking towards the Phantom Sadist. She paused and leaned in towards his ear. "Like I said; if you want to attack the academy, go ahead. But you'll get only opposition from me," she hissed through her teeth.

This said, Makoto ended their conversation by absorbing the ice back into her body and stalking off into the hallway. Karasu straightened his collar.

"...that's what you say now, Ice Queen...but I have more tactics than just seduction," he muttered quietly. He added a dark chuckle. "One day, I'll make you mine again."


	4. Chapter the Fourth

Chapter the Fourth

"This peace is almost unnerving," Chihaya muttered. She tapped her finger on her waterbed and allowed it to freeze, then drew in a deep breath and drove her finger deep into the ice, slowly unfreezing it. Dark Makoto had taught her how to unfreeze the bed, and Chihaya found she had been doing it wrong all along. She had been concentrating too hard, had been too stressed out, though the trick was to relax all the muscles in your body and think only of the cool, flowing nature of the water within the ice. Chihaya wondered how she hadn't managed to do it even though Makoto, who always seemed so uptight, could.

"Maybe, but it's nice," Iori protested. She sighed. "I'm bored, though. Conversing with the others is nice and all, but we're running out of topics."

"I never thought I would be so frustrated by doing nothing," Chihaya admitted. "Still, you are doing an excellent job as the Grand Mage."

"I'm aware~"

"That reminds me. Have you seen the Grand Witch lately?"

Iori blinked. "We had a debate over the intercom the other day, but she hasn't been back to her room since the day she left."

"Odd..." Chihaya sighed. "What is left for her back in that old place?"

"I can only assume..." Iori suddenly gasped and jumped to her feet. "Chihaya, do we know for sure what happened to the Shadow Warlock?!"

"No. He just suddenly disappeared from the cell one day. The handcuffs were missing, he was missing, Dark Makoto was...missing..." Now it was Chihaya's turn to gasp. "You don't think Dark Makoto set him free, do you...?!"

"It's the only logical explanation! She must have freed him and brought him back to Turiavita with her!" Iori groaned and flopped on the bed beside Chihaya. "And just when we were in peaceful times, too..."

"But he vanished over a month ago, and there's been no negative activity from that tower. Turiavita was disbanded. Why would Makoto bring him back and then just...keep him there? As a decoration?"

"That might not be far off." Iori slowly sat up. "Think about it. Why was Karasu invented in the first place?"

"To...keep Dark Chihaya company." Chihaya sat against the wall. Iori leaned against it beside her. "Then, do you think all Makoto wanted was some company? But, she has us now."

"That may be it, or..." Iori paused. The pair thought for a moment; then Iori suddenly started to laugh. "Oh, wow...there's no way..."

"What?" Chihaya demanded.

"She's got it bad, huh?" Iori looked over at Chihaya. "She's in _love _with him. That's the only possible explanation."

Chihaya's jaw dropped. "You're kidding...!" she gasped.

"Why else would she go through all the trouble of breaking him out of jail, only to hoard him all to herself up in that tower? The Mondenkind wizards didn't breathe a word about it. They still aren't allowed in the Turiavita section of the tower, which means they probably don't know, so she's probably got him up there just to keep her company..."

"He's, like...forty! And she's only sixteen! That's just...wrong!"

"Hey, chronologically speaking he's only around ten and she's about eleven. They haven't really existed for that long."

"...wow, that's true."

Iori laughed again. "Oh, wow, this is priceless...! She's really in love with him, isn't she!"

"That would explain why she hasn't attacked..."

"She's got him on a leash. Maybe he likes her too."

"But he was created for Dark Chihaya! I would have thought he'd remain loyal to her! I mean...don't you remember the look in his eyes when she died? I figured he'd be too busy greiving over her to make a move, but...if you are right, then..."

Iori fell off the bed laughing. "This is great!" she cried. "Who would have thought our greatest enemies had weaknesses for that one guy all along? We should have just taken him hostage from the beginning!"

"...why didn't I think of that two years ago?!" Chihaya whined. "I'm an idiot!"

"Why didn't _anyone _think of that?! We could have stopped this war before it started!" Iori squealed, still caught up in her rampage of guffawing. "Holy...I'm never going to get over this! I mean, what's so appealing about him?"

"Well, for one, he _is_ the only remaining male wizard."

"There's Ryo."

"...oh yeah, I forgot he was a boy for a second there."

"Beyond that, I don't understand why she'd pick him."

"Admittedly, he is kinda attractive."

"For an old dude, yeah."

"You're the one who pointed out he's technically only ten."

"Still!" Iori sighed happily. "Wow, I haven't had this much fun in ages! To think Dark Makoto is really in _love _with Karasu-"

"Hold on, WHAT?!"

Iori blinked, thought for a moment, then looked up at the corner of the room where a camera with a microphone was mounted on the walls. That was where the voice had come from, which meant...

Dark Makoto was listening.

Iori allowed this to sink in for a moment before she burst out laughing again. "Chihaya...Chihaya, tell her what's going on!" she urged. "I can't...talk...laughing...too hard...!"

Chihaya giggled. "We know you freed the Shadow Warlock. And we know why, too," she called in the direction of the camera. "To think you would actually fall for him-"

"Fall in _love_~" Iori teased. She could almost feel Dark Makoto blushing.

"You two actually believe I'm in love with that guy?" the Grand Witch sighed. "Yes, I set him free. But I did it to get help maintaining the Turiavita wing of the tower, nothing more."

"Oh, please! You expect us to believe that's the only reason you went through all this trouble?" Iori scoffed. "Relax, he _loves_ you too. That's why he hasn't attacked us yet. He values your opinion too much."

"...he does, huh..."

"Aha! I knew it! I knew you liked him!"

"D...don't be ridiculous."

"She hesitated! You heard that, right, Chihaya?! She _so _likes him!"

"You're being stupid again," Makoto warned.

Chihaya started to laugh too. "Don't worry about it, Dark Makoto," she cooed. "If you deny it, then you'll never get what you really want~."

"What I really want is for you two to shut up and stop insisting stupid things. Besides, he's twenty-something years older than me. That's kind of disgusting, in case you didn't know."

"Actually, techically speaking, chronologically you two are only ten and eleven years old."

"...wait, really?"

"Yeah! You haven't existed that long. That Dark Chihaya used a machine to amplify her age! Didn't you know that?"

"...I was born with memories of a very early childhood, so I guess it never occured to me-"

"Whoa, whoa. Wait. Wait a second." Iori waved her hands at the camera. "You're telling me you didn't know you're just a dark copy created when I was four about eleven years ago? You know, I'll be fifteen soon."

"I knew I was a copy, but I didn't know I was so...young. ...don't tell me how old you are, you know I don't care."

"You're both young. Karasu was created after Chihaya and you, so chronologically he's younger than you."

There was silence.

"...back to you being in _love_~ with _Karasu_~"

"I-I'm not in love with him! I don't even LIKE him!"

"The stuttering says otherwise~"

"It's not wrong to be in love, Makoto~"

"I'm telling you, I'm _not in love._"

"What's this about being in love?" Karasu's voice echoed.

"Nothing," Dark Makoto's voice insisted. "I'm dropping the intercom, you two."

"Karasu, you're just in time! We were just talking about how _totally in love with you _Dark Makoto is!" Iori called out. Chihaya held a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter.

"They're morons," Makoto objected.

"Oh? You are, are you?" Karasu half-purred. "If that's the case, then..."

"W-wait a second, what are you doing...?!"

The voices over the intercom suddenly stopped and were replaced with muffled screeches of disbelief and the occasional noise of enjoyment. Iori and Chihaya exchanged a look, then burst out laughing again.

"Congratulations~" Iori chirped.

"Having fun, you two?" Chihaya laughed.

A loud grunt, a few words of "what the heck is wrong with you, you pervert?!", and then a loud slapping noise sounded through the microphone.

"You two...you two are morons!" Dark Makoto screeched, sounding very unnerved. "I'm dropping the intercom!"

"Aw, come on~," Iori whined. "I know you enjoyed that, since...you know, you're in _love_ and all~."

"I'm not in love!"

"You're not?" Karasu teased. "That's upsetting. I thought I'd really scored this time."

"Seriously, what is wrong with you?!"

"Makoto, hang on a second!" Chihaya called

Makoto groaned. "What do you want?"

"Look...I trust you completely, to be honest. I have no reason to believe you'll turn against us. But that partner of yours-"

"Your _boyfriend_~" Iori cut in.

"...Minase, I will freeze that snarky little mouth of yours right off."

Chihaya shot her what was meant to be a glare, but wound up more of a "cut it out, I have to talk to her, you crazy loser" look. "Anyways," she continued, "I'm concerned about what will happen if you don't take control over him-"

"In all areas, mind you," Iori interrupted, smirking evilly. "Nihihi~"

"Minase...!" Iori heard the blush in Makoto's voice.

Chihaya stifled a light blush of her own and jabbed Iori in the side with her elbow. "Just...keep him on a leash, alright?"

"A _very tight _leash, preferably one that chains him right next to you all day, so you can make out without interruptions~"

"_Minase_...!"

"Minase-san, stop it already!" Chihaya squealed, trying not to laugh.

"You're cute when you blush, you know," Karasu's voice added.

"_I will kill you all_."

Chihaya let out a happy sigh. "That is all."

"Good. If you're quite done, Minase," Makoto sighed, sounding annoyed.

Iori laughed a bit more before finally calming down. "I can't help it! It's all so priceless!" she cried.

"For the last time, I'm not in love with him! As for you," the Grand Witch continued, presumably speaking to Karasu now, "if you ever kiss me again, I will slice your head off and burn it in a pot of boiling lava. Do you understand?"

"Where will you get the lava from, the burning passion for me hidden deep in your soul?"

"How about the depths of hell, you bastard."

"...fair enough."

Iori started to laugh again. Chihaya cleared her throat.

"Goodbye, and good riddance."

"Farewell, Grand Witch!" Chihaya shouted, hoping to be heard before the line went dead. She looked at Iori. "Well, I don't know about you, but my boredom has been cured."

"Who knew Dark Makoto could be so entertaining...?" Iori muttered, finally calming down from her laugh attack.

"Yeah..." Chihaya blinked. "...well, goodnight."

"Goodnight, Chihaya."

**(Random A/N: For the record, those two make a hilarious couple. Partially because they're both horribly evil. ...OK, Makoto's not evil ANYMORE, but she was for a while there.  
Don't worry about ships, you guys. I have everything all figured out. You'll see. Oh, and for the record, I apologize for any typos. I don't have spell check anymore and I don't re-read my chapters before posting them because that's spell check's job.)**


	5. Chapter the Fifth

Chapter the Fifth

Yayoi took a sip of her tea. "Wait, what did you say, Iori-chan?"

"I said, your new 'best friend' is _madly in love _with the Shadow Warlock," Iori repeated. She stifled a chuckle and sipped her own tea.

"He is hot," a certain black-haired Wind Mage offered.

"I-I'm scared of him," Yukiho, their caterer for the evening, piped up.

The four magicians had gathered for a random tea-drinking best friend date. Iori had decided to get together with Yayoi to discuss the events of yesterday with the Sun Mage, and Makoto and Yukiho had offered to tag along and make them some tea. Peaceful times were the only opportunities the group had to get together like this.

"I'm not sure if that's true," Yayoi admitted. "I mean, he did a lot of bad things to her."

"Why else would she not kill him and then break him out of jail, only to keep him hoarded to herself up in that tower?" Iori insisted. "It makes perfect sense!"

"He's still hot," Makoto added.

"I'm still scared," Yukiho squeaked.

"Plus, yesterday Chihaya and I heard them making out over the intercom~. ...OK, so he was making out with her and she was just trying to get him off, but I just know she secretly enjoyed it."

"Wait, really?" Yayoi sat up straighter. "...wow, who knew..."

"I didn't say anything before, but I had a vision the other day where he was trying to seduce her into attacking the academy and she slapped him and froze him to the wall. I have no idea what she feels about him," Makoto sighed.

"Really? I thought it would have-wait a second, attacking the academy?!" Iori suddenly jumped up, nearly spilling her tea. "I knew there was something wrong here!"

"Relax," Makoto soothed. "Dark Makoto's really serious about protecting this place. That was the second time she yelled at him for suggesting an attack. I got to watch both times. It was actually kinda funny. They have interesting interactions without Dark Chihaya around."

"If she comes after us one more time, I'll really kill her," Iori muttered, taking her seat again.

"You can't," Makoto mumbled bitterly. "She's the strongest magician this world has ever known."

"Why is everything so scary?" Yukiho whined. Makoto laid her hand on Yukiho's and offered her a warm smile. Yukiho seemed to relax.

"So what do you suggest we do, Grand Mage?" the Wind Mage asked curiously.

"Report to me with any visions you have. I want to know exactly what's going on over there. If her little boyfriend breaks through to her, we'll have a world of trouble on our hands. The least we can do is be prepared," Iori ordered.

Makoto nodded. "Got it."

"That reminds me, Iori-chan," Yayoi began, "I wanted to visit my family. I know mages are supposed to stay behind and look over the academy at all times, but since we're not involved in the war anymore, can I have a day off?"

"A day off? I'd prefer not," Iori answered. "But you can take the afternoon off or something. Just don't vanish for too long, OK? I won't stop you from visiting your family, though."

"Oh, thanks, Iori-chan!" Yayoi cheered. "I'll only be gone over the afternoon tomorrow, I promise!"

Iori smiled. "Hey, I'm not like that Flame Witch. I'm not gonna keep you hoarded up in this place forced to do what I say. In fact, I might leave Chihaya in charge for an afteroon and go brag to my dad."

Yayoi giggled. "Maybe we could go together!"

"That's a great idea! You can tell my dad how beautiful and perfect I've become!"

"He'll be able to see it, Iori-chan~."

"I know~."


	6. Chapter the Sixth

Chapter the Sixth

Dark Makoto lifted her finger from the intercom button, sseming very annoyed and embarrassed-but mostly annoyed. "Those two just won't give up...!"

"They're still convinced you're in love with me?" Karasu purred.

Makoto shot him a glare. "Don't say that like it's true."

"Oh, come on..."

"I don't know what you're trying to do, but I let you out to get help for the tower, not start a romance."

"Please, you think I'm still on that?" Karasu scoffed. "I've been working on something a little bit bigger than seduction, dear Ice Queen."

Makoto raised an eyebrow at him, curious and a bit apprehensive. "What are you talking about?" she demanded.

Karasu smirked and rose to his feet. "I'll give you a demonstration," he murmured. "Just sit there and relax."

Makoto jumped to her feet. "Now wait a second, I don't know what you're trying to do, but-"

The Ice Witch suddenly froze, her mouth hanging open ever so slightly. There was a period of silence while she stood, her body rigid, then she slowly relaxed and closed her mouth, her eyes glazing over as though hypnotised. Karasu raised his chin slightly.

"Come over here," he ordered. Makoto stepped forwards. "Go back, now." The Ice Queen obeyed without a second thought. "Sit." Makoto did so. Karasu approached her. "I told you I had ways."

Makoto suddenly snapped to attention. "...Karasu..."

"It's called 'mind control', Ice Queen," Karasu announced. "Been working on it for a while now. Soon I'll be able to give you orders from here without saying a word. Not even your ridiculously strong will can break free."

"You don't even have Rune Eyes!" Makoto lashed, her own eyes flashing for a second as a huge spire of ice slammed out of the wall towards Karasu. It passed right through him. Makoto growled. "How do you do this?!"

"I don't NEED Rune Eyes," Karasu explained. "My entire being is darkness. Literally. For most of you, your soul is a kickstart to your powers. For me, my soul _is _my powers. It's the same as having Rune Eyes. Same for Riffa and Joseph."

"That's not fair!" Makoto protested.

"It doesn't have to be. I have to keep things interesting, right?" Karasu chuckled. "Sorry, Makoto. You can't combat this ability. You'll be completely under my control."

Makoto shrank back in her chair, slightly afraid. "...so help me, if you make me attack the academy-"

"Relax," Karasu soothed. "I'll probably just use it when I get lonely~."

"When..." Makoto trailed off and blushed slightly. "I swear, if I snap out of it naked one day, you will be _slaughtered_ as mercilessly as possible. As long as you understand that, I'll consider not killing you right now and stopping this before it starts."

"The second you try to kill me, I'll just take control again." Karasu nodded. "Sorry, you're completly out of luck. You may as well just accept the fact that for the rest of your life, you're going to be my puppet." Slowly, he stood and went behind Makoto, reaching out to rub her shoulders gently. "Don't worry. I'll go easy on you to first few times."

Makoto hissed. "You're horrible," she snapped.

"And evil, and cruel, and invincible," Karasu added. "You never should have let me out of there, you know. Now that you have, there's no escape."

Makoto was silent for a few minutes as she allowed this to sink in. "...you mean, no matter what I do, you'll always be able to control my mind. Like me with Kisaragi, except...at the brain instead of the soul."

"I got the idea from you, too. You really messed this up."

Makoto looked up at the ceiling. Karasu cotinued to massage her shoulders for a few moments while she thought. Finally, she began to relax.

"I just...have one request for you," she whispered, slowly turning around to look Karasu in the eyes, her own brilliant blue eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Alright, what is it?" Karasu asked.

Makoto's face contorted slightly, looking as though she would break down any second.

"Please...don't make me hurt Yayoi."

Karasu's smirk became more of a smile. "I told you I wouldn't attack the academy with you."

"Then, you'll keep her safe?"

"Promise."

Makoto blinked, and a single liquid tear dripped from her eye. "...I don't trust you, but as long as she's safe..."

"You can't fight it even if you try."

"Just...leave her alone, and I'll leave you alone. Deal?"

Karasu's smile widened. "Deal."

**(A/N: DUN DUN DUUNNNN  
So this is the sequel you've probably not all been waiting for. Like, maybe two or three of you. But it's here now! Now you know kinda how this is gonna go. There's gonna be a whole lot of confusion and mystery going on, but you guys'll probably figure out what's happening pretty easily. I'll get the explanations going in a few chapters.**

**Expect weekly-or-so updates of three or four chapters at a time. Reviews are cool, but no reviews are even cooler if you're busy. I have to stop soliciting this book...)**


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